Key Terms
Uniform circular motion
Moving in a circle at constant speed. Speed is constant; direction keeps changing.
Arc length (s)
Distance traveled along a circular path.
Radius of curvature (r)
Radius of the circular path.
Rotation angle (delta-theta)
Ratio of arc length to radius.
Formula
V = r * omega Units: m/s
Units
Radians (rad)
Angular velocity (omega)
Rate of change of angle.
Linear (tangential) velocity (v)
Speed of a point moving along the arc.
Direction
Always toward the center of curvature. Perpendicular to velocity at all times.
Rearranged
T^2 / r^3 = constant (same for all satellites of the same parent body)
Inertial frame of reference
A frame that is not accelerating. Newton's laws hold without modification.
Non-inertial frame of reference
An accelerating or rotating frame. Newton's laws do not hold without adding fictitious forces.
Centrifugal force
The fictitious outward force felt in a rotating frame. Not real.
Coriolis force
The fictitious force that causes moving objects to curve when observed from a rotating frame. In Earth's northern hemisp
Result
G = 9.80 m/s^2